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Google has begun distributing its Pics image editor to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, along with Business and Enterprise Workspace plan customers and AI Pro for Education users. The app, built on Google's Nano Banana image generator, lets users generate images from text prompts, edit individual objects, translate embedded text across 29 languages, and upscale images to 2K or 4K resolution.
Aurora Store, the popular open-source client used to download apps without a Google account, has started failing for many users with a 'Server busy, please try again later' error when installing apps anonymously. The problem persists across troubleshooting steps like clearing cache, using a VPN, or restarting devices, suggesting Google may be blocking access at the server level rather than a local bug.
Sonos unveiled its Sonos 27 software platform alongside new hardware, introducing annual OS version numbers and a redesigned app interface. The update lets external AI assistants like ChatGPT control Sonos systems through a public MCP server, enabling voice or text commands to play music, move audio between rooms, and adjust volume without a dedicated app.
A writer describes discovering that Google's AI produced a false claim, which required manual fact-checking to disprove. The episode is used to argue that AI-generated answers should be treated with the same skepticism given to unreliable human sources.
Google's latest Android feature drop lets users ask Gemini to remember where they placed rarely-used items like passports, complete with an optional photo, without needing a physical tracker attached. The saved location can later be retrieved by asking Gemini directly or checking a new 'remembered items' tab inside Find Hub. This works on Android 16 devices in regions supporting both Gemini and Find Hub.
A Reddit user shared screenshots showing Google's new advanced sideloading flow now live on their Android device, requiring a restart and a mandatory 24-hour wait before installing apps outside the Play Store. The interface warns users about scammers who pressure victims into enabling sideloading, and once the waiting period ends, users can permit sideloading for either seven days or indefinitely.
President Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario as 'Lake America,' prompting the Seneca Nation's president to argue the move breaches a treaty dating back 232 years. The dispute has spilled onto social media, where users are also criticizing mapping services like Google Maps for potentially adopting the new name.
Google switched the Pixel 11 series from Samsung's Exynos modem to a MediaTek chip to fix years of connectivity complaints, but a subset of owners are now reporting 5G icons with no data, Wi-Fi dropouts, slow speeds, and network switching issues shortly after purchase. Reports have surfaced on Reddit from multiple Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro XL owners, though many other buyers say their devices work fine.
Android Authority found a new floating button in the Google app's Gemini Daily Brief labeled 'Talk through your brief,' which opens Gemini Live and reads the briefing aloud. The audio works, but the accompanying UI is unfinished, currently just showing generic intro text like 'Here's what's on your plate today.' The feature was spotted in Google app version 17.54.10.
Google is trialing a new Quick Settings panel inside Android Auto's beta version 17.6.663424, accessible from the notification shade at the top of the screen. So far only a single Do Not Disturb tile has appeared, letting drivers silence phone notifications without opening the full settings menu. The feature arrives alongside a new app icon and a raccoon-themed weather animation spotted in the same beta build.
Federal investigators say Daejon Labrayae Love, posing as an injured San Francisco 49ers receiver or a wealthy Swiss developer, and 18-year-old accomplice Taylor Jamie Chan, who claimed to be his financial advisor, met victims on dating apps and convinced them to invest in fake opportunities. The FBI alleges the two swindled at least 26 women across four states out of roughly $1.3 million, with some victims taking out loans to fund the fake investments. When suspicious victims searched online, Google's AI Overviews reportedly echoed Love's fabricated social media claims, lending false credibility to his identity.
A hidden feature in Android Auto beta version 17.6.66 shows a small animated raccoon, internally named 'Jimothy' after the viral social media character, hopping across the music player interface to display weather information. The widget also shows rain, clouds, or sun icons depending on local conditions, and currently only appears after manually switching the device theme in settings. Google has not confirmed a timeline or plans for a wider public rollout.